Rain delays mar opening day of NZ Test

Wellington's wild weather had the biggest say on the first day of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Play was stopped three times on the opening day, with rain causing the trouble in the first and second session, before bad light forced the players off the park about half an hour before the match was due to finish.

Bangladesh were 154 for 3 when stumps were called.

Groundsmen pull the rain covers on to the Basin Reserve. Photo: Photosport

The Black Caps earlier won the toss and elected to bowl first on the green Basin Reserve pitch, which looked like it would benefit New Zealand's seam bowlers.

Tim Southee struck early in the windy Wellington conditions, with opening batsman Imrul Kayes caught by Trent Boult at the boundary for 1.

Trent Boult struggled to find his form in the first stanza, going for 26 off his first three overs with the other opener Tamim Iqbal finding it all too easy to put him away over the boundary.

The drizzle then set in, forcing the players to leave the field and take an early lunch.

Tim Southee Photo: Photosport

The teams came back onto the field shortly after 1pm and it wasn't long before Iqbal brought up his half century, though he was dismissed in the next over lbw by Boult.

Iqbal's 56 runs came off just 50 balls.

Bangladesh were 60 for 2 with the loss of his wicket, but Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah steadied the tourists' innings with a partnership of 59, before rain forced the players from the field for a second time.

When play resumed three hours later, Haque and Mahmudullah continued to add to the visitors' total, with the pair scoring 85 runs before Neil Wagner broke through, forcing Mahmudullah to clip a wide ball and send it through to BJ Watling behind the stumps.

Mitchell Santner dropped a catch two overs later in the darkening Wellington conditions, and play was called off the following over due to bad light.

Bangladesh will resume on day two on 154 for 3 at stumps.

The weather is forecast to be fine on Friday and day two will begin half an hour early at 10.30am.